


heaven in hiding

by bipolaryangxiaolong (rosesandcinnamon)



Series: wings of wax [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Making Out, Partying, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-09 15:16:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12279096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesandcinnamon/pseuds/bipolaryangxiaolong
Summary: “Plus, Yang,” she says, voice soft. “I don’t want you to regret it in the morning.”Yang scoffs. Her reply is a little startling in its blunt honesty. “As if anything about you could be a mistake.”





	heaven in hiding

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I in no way intend to encourage or condone underage partying/anything, don’t do drugs kids!! Partying is not a healthy coping mechanism for anything and I DO encourage finding good ways to deal with grief/stress. While I'm at it, don't drive under any influence!  
> For AU context, they’re seniors in high school while Ruby’s a sophomore.This is in the same universe as [wings of wax](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12244089), set long before it. Yang has a history of mental health issues. I’m leaving their eyes the canon colors just because.  
> I have a companion playlist [here](https://open.spotify.com/user/60n63x0372g19427gt359d1fv/playlist/0wjxKO9WBk84s5YN6o6A0y), which I recommend giving a listen! It's mainly connected to the story, with a few mood songs in the second half. At least check out [Heaven In Hiding](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB6oIdz_ZXo) as it heavily influenced this fic, and I hope the mood comes across as well.

 

"So, Ruby.”

Yang tunes her father out as he addresses her sister, stabbing her food. Their voices turn into white noise as she falls into thought, contemplating. This time of year, she always thinks about Summer. She always thinks of a house smelling like vanilla, of jumping into giant piles of leaves, of stories and gentle laughter and receiving kisses on the forehead as she was tucked in. The memories fade more and more each year.

Her sister’s screeching breaks the mood she’s about to go into. Yang looks up as Ruby nearly falls out of her chair, latching herself to Taiyang’s side. “You’re _kidding_!” Taiyang’s smile is nearly as bright as Ruby’s as he laughs.

“I’m not,” he says, and Ruby shrieks some more.

“What’s happening?” Yang tries to put some enthusiasm and amusement into her voice, and she guesses she succeeds. That, or Ruby doesn’t care.

“Dad is taking me to this amazing engineering conference with Uncle Qrow and we get to meet Mr. Polendina!”

Yang watches her baby sister bounce on her toes, too excited to breathe. “That’s really cool,” she tries, and she flicks her gaze across the table to see her father’s eyes narrow. Ruby can barely contain herself enough to sit back down, practically vibrating in her chair. When the three of them finish their dinners, she zips around to clear their plates. “Thanks, sis,” Yang says to her, and looks to Taiyang. “Can I go downstairs?”

“Stay for a minute.” She glares at him, and his gaze is firm in return. She stays, standing with her hand on the top of a chair and leg bouncing. Ruby is oblivious to the tension, or maybe not; Yang catches a glimpse of her sister looking over her shoulder with a furrowed brow. Taiyang ignores her impatience. Once Ruby is out of the kitchen, he gestures for Yang to sit down, and she does, however reluctantly. “We’re going to be gone for a couple of nights,” he says, and cuts no corners with what he says next. “You’re going to be alone. Can you do that?”

“Dad,” she whines, some mix of emotion building in her stomach. “I’m fine.” He looks at her evenly, and she knows he doesn’t trust her words. She swallows down the resentment, meeting his eyes. “Seriously.”

“I’m just checking, Yang. I want you to take care of yourself.” She nods.

“I am taking care of myself.” Yang knows her voice falters. It must be enough for him though, because he stands up with open arms.

“I love you, little dragon,” he says, and she groans as she hugs him.

“Don’t call me that. I love you too,” and she feels his chuckle reverberate through his chest. She stays in his embrace for a moment longer than necessary, needing the warmth and comfort. Taiyang squeezes her shoulders before letting go.

“So can I go now?” she asks, stepping back. He sighs and agrees. She leaves the kitchen, shooting him a smile. Once downstairs, she throws herself onto her bed, screaming into her pillow.

“Yang, are you okay?” Her little sister’s voice is a reality check. Yang sits up, forcing a smile.

“I’m good.”

Ruby eyes her. “I’m not stupid, Yang.”

“I promise, Ruby.” Her smile becomes more genuine as she looks at her little sister, and she gets up to head to their shared bathroom, ruffling Ruby’s hair on her way out. She smacks Yang’s hand away, but laughs all the same.

Yang waits until Ruby is asleep that night to cry. She deals with insomnia on the best of days, and it gets worse when she has certain people on her mind. They’ve been on her mind a lot lately: the two women she’s lost, the _unfairness_ of it all. How she lost the one who gave her life without knowing her, how she lost the one who raised her too soon, how her father lost two loves in such a short time, how Ruby has only the fuzziest memories of her own mother. She wishes they both had better memories of Summer. It’s easier to remember the fallout, the loneliness of a house once lively, the attempt at parenting Qrow had to make in Taiyang’s absence, the hole that was left behind. Yang finds herself curled into a pillow wet with tears, tiring herself out until she has no option but to close her eyes. The thought of _No wonder they’re worried about me_ crosses her mind just before she lets go and sleeps.

  


Her mood shifts, as it always does. The sadness, the emptiness, the multitude of  feelings towards her lost family turns into anger. She struggles with it. She fights the urge to call Qrow, call and demand he make his sister speak to her. She fights the urge to do a simple search for the name. She fights a lot of urges.

It doesn’t occur to Yang until two weeks before. She’s marking her calendar for plans with friends and school assignments when she stops. Her dad and Ruby and Qrow will be gone for both Friday and Saturday night. She clicks her red pen, circling that Friday. This is one urge she’s not going to fight.

Lists are written, purchases are made, plans are cemented, group chats are created. A week out from the date, Qrow is around. He comes in and out of the house- he always has. He’s the reason the sisters share a room, as the guest bedroom has been his for longer than Yang can remember.

Yang comes into the kitchen in search of a snack, seeing Ruby hard at work at the table, being a good little nerd with her math and engineering homework. She teases her as she looks through the pantry, remarking over her shoulder about the hard work she puts into everything. Trying is for losers, after all. Once her snacks are retrieved, she heads downstairs. Once Yang’s to her room, Qrow slips out of his, calling her name.

She turns with an easy smile. “‘Sup, Qrow?” They chat for a while, talking aimlessly about school and life, until he brings the trip up.

“Your dad doesn’t want to leave you alone, you know.” Yang rolls her eyes, aware of Qrow’s gaze on her. “I’ll admit I’m not too fond of the idea either.”

“Jesus, why are you both so concerned? I swear, the worst thing I’m planning is a giant party.” He raises an eyebrow as she sucks in a breath, regretting letting it slip. “I mean… A small gathering. A few friends. No drugs. No alcohol. Yup! Nothing is happening!”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”

“Thank you.”

Qrow pats her shoulder awkwardly before putting his hand back in his pocket. “It’s just that this time of year is hard on all of us.” She ducks her head, trying to avoid eye contact. He sighs, speaking softly. “Yang. It’s okay to not be okay.”

There’s insistency in her tone, a quiet stubbornness sounding all too familiar to her uncle. “I’m _fine_.” They look at each other, both aware that she’s not quite telling the truth. She slips closer to her door, and Qrow looks at her with pain in his eyes when he hears what she says. “I wish you all would just leave me alone.”

The door closes. Yang puts her snacks down on the nightstand, dropping her full weight on her bed, ignoring the protest of the squeaky mattress. She pulls out her phone, opening Snapchat and sending an ugly selfie to a group chat, captioned “so who’s ready to Get Lit next week?” Nora replies immediately, sending a characteristically blurry photo of her face that says “ME!!!!!”, Yang smiling a bit at her enthusiasm. Other snaps filter in, the invitees talking about their plans. Just thinking about the concept of a party and having fun makes her feel better.

  


As it is with high school, rumors can spread. However, Yang keeps her party talk lowkey, despite the impulses to invite people she doesn’t really know. In English, she, Weiss, and Ren are part of a group, along with the girl she’s been into since freshman year: Blake. She’s sure Blake doesn’t think much of her, as she’s loud, brash, and generally gets the group off-task. Blake and Ruby are friends, however, so they’ve been acquaintances for a while. It’s one of those off-task days when Yang’s discussing the schedule for Friday night with Weiss and Ren, when she turns to Blake. She’s focused on her project, copying quotations down for an assignment.

Yang’s voice breaks her concentration. “Do you want to come?”

Blake looks up from her paper. “What?” She’s been absently listening, amused at their excitement, but she wasn’t expecting an invitation. Yang’s eyes are sparkling, and Blake has to catch her breath for a moment.

“I’m having a party tomorrow night. I don’t know if you’re into that, but you can come if you want.”

She considers for a moment, voice quiet when she says “I’ll see if I can drop by.” Yang winks at her in response. Blake hates herself for the color that must be on her cheeks. They quickly trade Snapchats, and Blake is added to a group chat called “do i HARE there’s a party” with a rabbit emoji. She rolls her eyes, but nudges Yang. “I hope you don’t have a bad _hare_ day tomorrow.” The joke is weak, but the sheer delight on her face makes Blake’s heart stop. She’s about to reply when Goodwitch comes over, asking about their progress.

Blake returns to her work, contemplating if she wants to go or not. Sure, it could be fun. Parties aren’t quite her scene, but she thinks she could deal with it. She’ll see.

Friday morning, Yang feels strange as she gets ready for school without her sister. Ruby is still in bed, sleeping before the road trip. Yang smiles fondly as she tiptoes past, knowing she’ll sleep in the car too. She says goodbye to her father when she goes upstairs, giving him a long hug. Qrow stops her on the stairs on her way out, ignoring her eager step towards the door. He drops his voice, but Taiyang is banging around in the kitchen anyway.

“You’ll be careful with this _nothing_ happening tonight, right?” Yang swears internally; she was hoping he hadn’t remembered her slip last week.

“Yes, Qrow.” He smiles at her, and she sees a glimpse of her mother in his face, only recognizable from photos. It hurts, and she turns away. “I’ll see you later.” He pats her back, and she leaves. The car is strangely empty as she drives to school, but that means she gets to listen to her bad boy band trash pop without Ruby’s complaints joining the music. She goes through the day feeling vaguely unreal.

  
  


After lunch, Blake has almost made up her mind when Yang slides into the seat next to her in math. She has a devious smirk, and she nudges Blake with her elbow. “So. You coming tonight?”

The radiance of the smirk-turned-smile is the tipping point. “Yeah,” Blake says, content in her decision.

Yang’s voice bubbles out of her chest, the excitement plain. “Sweet!” The joy in her tone slips away, however, as she continues. “Hey, if you want to do anything though, you have to stay over or have a DD, okay? That’s my only rule.”

“Of course.”

They continue to chat until their teacher looks across the room at the two girls, frown on his face. Yang flashes another of those smiles at her with a “See you tonight!” before going back to her desk. Blake spends the rest of the period fighting with herself. Sure, she’ll go. Sure, she may engage in activities she probably shouldn’t. But should she really do that with Yang Xiao Long, known pansexual flirt? It doesn’t help that Blake has had an interest in said flirt for ages. She lays her head on her desk, sighing. _Just do it_ , she tells herself. _It’ll be fun_.

  
  


After class, Yang teams up with Nora and Ren. They’re all walking out to the parking lot together. Nora and Ren are in front of her, holding hands, and Yang rushes to catch up, shoving herself in between the couple, throwing her arms around their shoulders. Nora shrieks in surprise and delight, while Ren just sighs.

“So! Shopping time?” The excitement in her voice is infectious.

“Let’s go _shopping_!” Nora sings, skipping ahead. Ren and Yang share a smile of fondness for their friend and follow her. Once at Ren’s car, he unlocks it, and Yang slips into the backseat before anyone can say anything. Nora giggles as she gets into the passenger seat, leaning over to press a kiss to Ren’s cheek after he sits down. They drive to the local grocery store, Yang marveling at how Nora can talk Ren’s ear off while having the music up a bit too loud. She feels isolated in the backseat, foot tapping on the floor as she checks her phone and the list she’s made. Ren, once in the parking lot, finally turns down the music, and patiently asks Nora to speak quietly. She complies, turning to Yang and asking about what they need.

“Water, food, soda, punch, cups, ping pong balls…” The girls discuss what else they should get as Ren parks. They get out of the car, Nora immediately latching to Ren as the three walk into the store. There’s a burning loneliness in Yang’s chest as she watches them, and she shoves it down before it flames into jealousy. She has better things to focus on.

They settle into a routine- Nora skips through the aisles, Ren pushes the cart, and Yang throws things in. When she picks up a box of disgustingly sugary cereal, Ren’s voice is quiet. “Do you really need that?”

Yang glares at him without animosity. “Yes.” He gives her an even stare, and she hugs the box to her chest. “What if someone is hungry in the morning?”

“You mean what if _you’re_ hungry in the morning?” Ren pushes the cart towards her, tugging the cereal away from Yang and putting it back on the shelf. She lets it happen. Nora calls for them from an aisle away, and they hurry to her. “Nora. No.” Ren’s calm voice makes her turn away from a display of stacked cans.

“Fine,” she pouts, joining them again. Their adventure continues throughout the store, gathering their supplies. Ren goes off to look for a pack of water bottles, and Yang and Nora are left to get soda.

Yang is taken aback when Nora turns to her with a serious look. “So. What’s wrong?”

She splutters out an “I’m _fine_ ” in response, and Nora knows it for the lie it is.

“Sure you are. Talk to me, Yang.”

Yang takes the opportunity of putting soda in the cart to look away from those turquoise eyes. “You know how my stepmom died when I was little?” Her voice is soft, and she sees Nora nod out of the corner of her eye. “The anniversary is coming up.”

“You know partying won’t help, right?”

Yang sighs. “I know.” She stares at the basket, heart heavy.

Nora attacks her with a hug, nearly knocking her into the shelf. “That doesn’t mean it won’t cheer you up!” Yang puts her arm around her friend, small smile on her face. Nora squeezes her shoulders before Ren appears at the other end of the aisle, carrying a giant pack of water bottles. She immediately lets go, shouting “My hero!” and running to meet him. Smile spreading across her face, Yang takes the cart and heads towards them.

  
  


Ren takes Yang and Nora back to the school, dropping them and the groceries off at Yang’s car. He helps put the groceries in her trunk, then gives Nora a quick kiss as Yang gets inside her car. Nora skips around to the passenger seat, humming as she sits down.

“Ready for this?” Yang flashes her a trademark grin, and Nora cheers an affirmative. They listen to party music on the way home, windows down and the volume up. Yang feels alive, buzz in her ears and her foot on the gas pedal. It’s comforting.

They get to her house, unload, and Yang goes at the living room with a vacuum. Nora helps her clean the kitchen, and calls Pyrrha once the two areas are clean.

“Hello!” she sings when Pyrrha picks up.

“Hi, Nora,” she laughs, and Yang pitches in.

“Are you excited?”

“I’m so nervous!” Yang and Nora exchange a mischievous glance.

“Get over here and you won’t be anymore,” Nora says with an ominous giggle. Pyrrha agrees, and the call is ended. “Yang, can you please get the weed?” Yang sighs, and one playful shove leads to another, until they’re breathless from laughter.

“Fine,” she says, with a mocking tone, and dodges a slap as she runs for the stairs. Yang is still laughing as she goes to her room. She fishes a pencil box out of the bottom of her dresser, smirk on her face. _Tonight is going to be way too good_. Once back upstairs, Nora is on the phone with Weiss.

“Yeah, yeah, princess,” she says, and Yang can hear the indignant voice on the other side. She makes a motion for Nora to hand her the phone, and she holds it out towards her.

“Weiss, stop being a priss and come over!”

“Fine!” Yang snickers in response, going over to the kitchen window and pulling her pipe out of the box. The bowl is half-full, so she grabs her lighter without bothering to refill it. The first hit is such a relief. Breathing the smoke in feels good, letting it out feels better.

Nora slides over to her, smiling as Yang sighs. “My turn?” Yang gives her the pipe, and goes over to set the snacks up. The two are comfortably on the line between sober and high when Pyrrha comes over, politely knocking on the door before pushing it open. Nora shrieks when she hears her come in, practically falling off of her spot on the kitchen counter and dashing out to the living room. Yang smiles, remaining on the counter and taking another hit. Pyrrha is dragged into the kitchen, awkwardly smiling as Nora babbles on about how excited she is.

“‘Sup, Pyrrha?”

“Not much,” she responds, and Yang nods. She turns to blow smoke out of the window, and notices the way Pyrrha’s eyes follow it. Gesturing for her to come closer, Yang offers the pipe and lighter.

“Want it?”

“Um, sure,” Pyrrha responds, shyness evident in the small step forward she takes and the duck of her head. Yang makes a quick demonstration of how to light the bowl, and Pyrrha glances around, aware of the way both Nora and Yang are looking at her. “You’re making me nervous!” she laughs before clicking the lighter. She promptly burns her thumb trying to tilt it down.

Yang can’t help a small smile. “Come here,” she says, scooting over on the counter. She has Pyrrha stand closer with the pipe to her lips, and lights it for her. “Tell me when to stop,” she murmurs, watching Pyrrha’s face as she breathes in. Pyrrha makes a thumbs up a few seconds later, and doesn’t even cough on the exhale.

“Nice job!” Nora high fives her, and Pyrrha nervously giggles.

“Look at you, being rebellious,” Yang says, amusement clear in her tone. “Want another hit?” Pyrrha slowly nods. “Hey, don’t be shy. It’s just us.” Yang brings the lighter up again, doing it slow this time to show her how to do it without burning herself. She gets it eventually, and the three girls share the pipe, until there’s a sharp rap on the door.

Yang rolls her eyes, sliding off the counter. “I’ll go get the princess.” She goes to the door, opening it to see Weiss with a smirk and a jacket in her hands.

Weiss pushes past her, unwrapping the jacket to reveal a big glass bottle. Yang shuts the door, following her back into the kitchen. “Well, I hope you three have been having fun with your marijuana,” she scoffs, putting the bottle down. “I brought some class to this party.”

“Ooh, what is it?” Nora leans close to her, looking at the label. “Woah, champagne! Fancy!”

“It’s flavored too.” Weiss smiles and begins work on the cap. While she fights it, she glances around. “Yang, you clean up well.” Yang finger guns with one hand in reply, busy taking a hit.

“Ah, shit,” she says, putting the pipe down. “I gotta let Zwei out from Dad’s room.”

Pyrrha gasps. “I forgot you have a dog!” Yang looks over, smirk playing across her face.

“Are you feeling it?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, let’s go get the dog.” Pyrrha nods. Before leaving, Yang points to Weiss. “Don’t open that without me.” Weiss sighs in reply, but puts the bottle down.

As they go into the hallway, they hear Nora ask Weiss if she wants any weed, and the disdainful reply of “Marijuana is for delinquents.” The little cheer that follows that statement is apparently hilarious to Pyrrha, as she laughs hysterically. Yang only smiles as she opens the door to her dad’s bedroom, and Zwei charges out.

“Oh my _gosh_.” Pyrrha almost shrieks in delight as Zwei jumps up at her, falling to her knees to pet him. “He’s so cute!” She giggles as Zwei licks her chin, and lets him jump all over her. Yang finds it amusing when Pyrrha looks up at her, eyes wide with joy.

“You having fun there?”

“So much!”

“C’mon, Zwei, get off of her.” She clicks her fingers, and Zwei turns his attention to her. “Let’s get you outside.”

“He’s such a good boy,” Pyrrha whispers as they go back down the hallway.

Yang lets him outside. Weiss finally opens the bottle, the champagne fizzing as the cork pops open. “Let’s get this party _started_!” Nora says, and Weiss hands it to Yang.

“Host has first sip.”

Yang accepts it, taking a drink. “Shit, that’s good,” she says afterwards, smile on her face. She passes it back to Weiss, and the girls drink straight from the bottle.

“What time are people getting here?” Weiss looks at the clock, not particularly concerned but curious.

Yang shrugs, responding “I told them eight, so it’ll be soon.”

“Who all is coming?” Pyrrha is spinning on a stool, red hair flying out behind her. Nora follows suit, hopping up on the one next to her. Yang lists off the guests, and the others make “oooh” sounds when Blake’s name comes up.

“Wait, what?” Yang looks at them, eyebrows raised.

“Blaaaake,” Nora sings as she spins, “You’ve had a crush on her since freshman year!”

Weiss nods. “She’s right. I was surprised when you invited her.”

“Whatever,” Yang sighs. “She’s Ruby’s friend, and we were talking about it right in front of her. It would have been rude to not invite her.”

“Do you think she’ll come?” Nora asks.

“I hope so,” Yang replies.

  
  


Blake stares at herself in the mirror. White crop top and shorts with black to purple ombre tights make for a cute outfit. It’s more skin than she usually shows, arms bare. The night promises to be chilly, so she grabs a leather jacket from the back of her door. Slipping it on and fluffing her hair out in front of the mirror, she can’t help but let a small smile show on her face. She thinks she’s cute, and she hopes other people think so too.

 _Are you sure about that?_ a little voice whispers to her. The smile disappears. _You’re very plain, with your pale skin and dark hair. And a leather jacket, really? You’re_ **_so_ ** _edgy, Blake._ She turns away from the mirror, focusing on putting her makeup back into her bag. _Besides. No one is ever going to find you attractive again._ The voice had started out as generic, but it’s twisted and sharpened into his. She doesn’t appreciate it, and picks up her phone to play a few songs before she goes. The volume is up a bit too much. She just hopes her mother won’t complain. Letting the music chase away her thoughts, she scrolls through Snapchat. Yang’s posted a few snaps, so Blake opens her story. It begins with an unfairly cute selfie with the caption “tonight is going to be lit”, going on to a photo of Nora and Pyrrha in a kitchen. The latest snap is a photo of a bottle of champagne, and Blake laughs. The pregaming looks fun.

She texts the group chat, asking if she can come early. The response is an enthusiastic “yes!!!!!!!!” from Yang, and she raises an eyebrow. Perhaps they’re pregaming a bit too hard. Getting off her bed, she looks back to the mirror. She is cute and evil exes can’t stop her from having a damn good time. She opens Maps on her phone to see that Yang actually lives not too far from her, and a walk would be nice to clear her head.

Blake shuts her door softly, and goes across the hall to the office. She knocks gently, hearing a quiet “Come in” from inside and twisting the doorknob. Kali looks over her shoulder, smile on her face when she sees her daughter. “Aww, sweetie, you look so nice! You’re going to hang out with a few people, right?” Blake nods. “With who?”

“Yang Xiao Long and her friends. She’s Ruby’s older sister.”

“Oh! I like those girls!” Blake rolls her eyes. Having her mom involved in her school’s community through volunteering can get obnoxious. “Have fun, Blake.” She gets up to hug her, and Blake melts into her embrace. Kali strokes her hair, and whispers a question. “Are you having any nightmares? No weird texts or anything, right?”

She stiffens before replying. “I’m fine.”

“I worry.”

“I know.”

With that, Kali lets go, smiling at her. “Well, text me if you need anything. Be home by midnight.”

“Yeah.” Blake goes out of the study, closing the door behind her. Passing the mirror in the hall, there’s one last toxic thought. _Are you really leaving the house in that?_ She sighs and ignores it. Closing the door behind her, she zips up her jacket when she meets the chill.

  


Yang rests on her counter, whining, but swaying to the beat of their playlist, aptly named ‘chilling’. “When are Coco and Velvet getting here?” The doorbell rings, and she shoots up. “That must be them!” Nora and Pyrrha remain where they are, stacking the plastic shot glasses into a pyramid. Weiss, overseeing the construction, nods at her. Yang dances out of the kitchen, humming when she opens the door. “Hi guys!” Coco and Velvet greet her, backpacks making a clinking sound as they come in. “Shit, what did you bring me?”

Coco rattles off the list with a grin, and Velvet giggles. “It’s going to be a good night,” she says in her soft voice.

“Hell yeah it is!” Yang’s voice drowns out whatever Coco says to Velvet before kissing her cheek. They unpack the alcohol, setting bottles on the table. Nora attempts to whistle appreciatively and fails, sending both her and Pyrrha into hysterics, but it’s the thought that counts.  The doorbell rings again, and Yang is delighted to answer it. “Oh my god, Neon, hey! I thought you couldn’t make it!”

Neon laughs, hugging her. “I meant it when I said we had to party together!” They part, Yang glancing over to a boy she vaguely recognizes. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought Flynt!”

“Not at all!” Yang bro-hugs him, clasping hands and pulling him close. “How are you guys doing?” The two girls chat about volleyball and the concluded season, Flynt chiming in where he can.  

“Christ, Yang, where’d you get the goods?” Neon sounds impressed at the lineup, reaching for a beer.

“I have my ways,” she replies, winking at her.

“Me. It was me.”

Yang turns, shushing Coco. “Did you not hear me?” Coco rolls her eyes, Velvet whispering something to her. It makes her laugh, a smile creeping over Velvet’s face. The two go sit down in a plush chair, Coco pulling her into her lap.

“Yang, make jungle juice and bring some to us, will you?”

“Make your own!”

“Do you want me to take my alcohol and leave?”

Yang makes them the drinks. They hear a car pull up as she walks over to the chair, a cup in each hand. (Coco takes only one and hands it to Velvet, kissing her cheek.) Nora almost knocks her over as she sprints past, shrieking something about Ren. She yanks the door open, and they all hear Ren’s surprised laughter as she crashes into him. The couple comes inside, Nora babbling on about how much fun she’s having, Ren patiently listening. They sit together around the table, Nora pushing their chairs together and snuggling close to him. Yang feels the pang of jealousy, back once more, and downs it with a drink. The knock on the door distracts her too. She goes to answer it, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

“Hi, Blake!” She smiles back, a little shy, and Yang gestures her inside. “How are you?”

“Good.”

“You’re gonna get better,” Yang says with a smirk, and Blake laughs quietly. They go into the kitchen, Coco and Velvet calling out a greeting as they pass. Nora cheers as she scores in beer pong, Neon sighing before drinking. Pyrrha is talking with Weiss about something, Weiss a little less reserved than normal. She sees Blake and smiles immediately.

“Blake!”

Blake heads toward to her, giving Yang a surprised glance. “She’s a happy drunk,” Yang whispers to her, receiving a raised eyebrow in response. Blake and Weiss talk for a moment, Yang slipping over to stand next to Pyrrha. She finds the pipe, and scoots over to the window. Pyrrha follows, and once she’s taken a hit, Yang turns to her. “You having fun?”

“So much,” Pyrrha tells her, easy grin on her face.

“Where’s Jaune?” she asks, breathing out smoke.

She sighs, pulling her phone out of her back pocket. “He chickened out.”

“Dammit,” Yang says, nudging her with her shoulder. “I was going to have us play Truth or Dare and make you two kiss.”

Pyrrha giggles, putting her phone down to hide her face. “No,” she whines, and Yang laughs.

“You know you would have loved it.”

Pyrrha makes no effort to reply, just taking another sip of her drink. Weiss turns to Yang, icy blue eyes not so icy anymore. “Did you get my favorite?”

“Sure did, princess,” Yang responds, pointing to the bottle on the counter.

“We have to do shots with Blake!”

Yang looks at Blake with a questioning glance, receiving a nod in reply. “Let’s _do it_ ,” Yang says, joy in her voice, and pokes her head around the corner to tell Coco and Velvet their plans. Velvet leaves Coco’s lap, shrieking when Coco grabs her ass and turning to slap her hand. Coco smiles innocently at her, not blinking an eye when Velvet scolds her.

  
  


Yang doesn’t realize that she’s a little over the line between “ _real good_ ” and “fucked up” until she spills a shot- the first one, even- all over her shirt. The other girls take the shot easily, not noticing Yang until she starts laughing, running over to the sink. She swears as she leans forward to direct the water over her shirt- it’s black, luckily, but now smelling incredibly like coconut and alcohol. Once she wrings it out, she unties the knot of the halter top and pulls it off. Weiss gasps, opening her mouth to yell at her, cut short when she realizes Yang is in a high-necked bralette.

“Calm down, Weiss,” Yang says with an eye roll. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Seeing as you just spilled a shot all over yourself, I’m not sure you do!”

“It was _half_ a shot,” she protests with a laugh, laying the soaked shirt on a coffee table.

“Whatever!”

She goes back to the table where Velvet is pouring them more shots, and almost reaches for one. Weiss’s level glare is enough for her to reconsider. “Fine,” she mumbles, going to sit down next to Nora and Ren. “How’s it going?”

“Great,” Nora tells her, leaning on Ren. “Right, Ren?” He nods, small smile on his face. She laughs, and reaches for her drink again. Yang, suddenly feeling her head spin, puts her hand on the table to stabilize herself. She glances around, trying to ground herself, and catches Blake’s eye. Blake comes over to her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Are you... Good?” she tentatively asks, and Yang looks up at her.

“I am _so good_ ,” she replies with a grin. “Sit with me!” Blake nods, and scoots a chair over. “What about you? Are you good?” Yang asks, and Blake smiles.

“Pretty good,” she says, voice quiet.

“That is amazing. You know, you don’t seem like a party girl.”

Blake shrugs. “I’ve been to a few,” she says, and Yang can’t help but adore the small smirk on her face.

Pyrrha comes to sit with them, and notices a half-empty water bottle. “Watch _this_ ,” she says, grin on her face. She throws it in a perfect flip, sticking the landing, and to the drunk teenagers, it’s a miracle. Nora tells her to do it again, opening her snapchat.

Pyrrha does so, and Yang, on impulse, yells “Fuck it up!” Nora replays the video, and the girls, including Blake, laugh about it.

Yang gets a snapchat from Jaune, a sad face, and she chats back “lol loser” without a thought and goes on Instagram. The first thing that pops up is a joke about volleyball, and she accidentally hits Pyrrha a little too hard to get her attention. After Pyrrha pouts, Yang shows her the joke, and the two girls fall into absolute hysterics.

Weiss groans from the kitchen, taking the bottle they were pouring shots from and chugging- delicately, somehow. “I’m _not_ drunk enough for this.”

Yang sighs, looking around, and gasps when she sees not only Coco and Velvet making out, but also Nora and Ren kissing.

“No,” she says, reaching over to shove Nora. “No gross couples in _my_ house!” Coco responds with a middle finger, offending Yang even more. A giggle makes her turn around, and Blake is covering her mouth, shoulders shaking with the laughter she’s holding back.

“I don’t know why that was so funny,” she gasps, and Yang smiles.

“I haven’t heard you laugh like that before,” she says, and Blake ducks her head.

The moment is ruined when Weiss shouts something about having made drinks for them all “Except Yang because she’s wasted.”

Yang yells “I am _not_!” in reply, and Blake hides a smile.

“I think you are.”

 

While her guests entertain themselves with beer pong, talking, and having more drinks, Yang goes to the bathroom. She pauses after washing her hands, staring at herself in the mirror. A dumb smile spreads across her face, and she laughs. Someone outside knocks, asking her to let them in, and she does so, still laughing. Pyrrha comes into the bathroom, bemused expression on her face.

“What’s so funny?”

“This bitch knows!” Yang crows, gesturing sloppily to the mirror, and Pyrrha steps closer to support her.  
“What does she know, Yang?”  
“How _fucked_ I am!” she says, drawing out the word. Pyrrha raises her eyebrows, unable to stop the smile from spreading across her face.

“What does that even mean?” she says, still smiling when Yang turns to her.

“Okay, so it’s like- you don’t know how drunk you are until you’re in the bathroom by yourself, right? You wouldn’t know, nevermind,” she says, and pauses when she gets distracted by her phone buzzing.  Pyrrha prompts her, and she keeps talking. “And it’s like, no one knows how fucked up I am right now. But that bitch knows,” she repeats, glancing at the mirror with another smile.

Pyrrha is silent, trying to process. After a moment, she gives up. “That makes no sense, Yang.”

Yang shrugs. “Maybe it’s a this bitch thing.”

  


The party continues, with Yang stealing sips of other people’s drinks, until they’re sitting on the living room floor starting a game of Cards Against Humanity. Neon and Flynt are sitting close together, Flynt still sober, but Neon giggling about something. Nora is draped across Ren’s lap, easy smile on her face. Weiss is the one helping Coco pass out cards, holding her liquor the best. Velvet is resting against a chair, Blake and Yang next to her. Yang and Velvet talk quietly, until Velvet leans a little too close to her.

“Holy shit,” she breathes. “Yang, your pupils are _huge_.”

“What?”

“Blake, tell me her pupils are that big.”

Yang turns to Blake, and she doesn’t mind the way Blake leans in to look. “Jesus Christ. They’re that big.”

Yang picks up her phone, opening the camera. “My pupils are normally a little weird,” she mumbles, until she sees how the lilac of her irises are almost swallowed by the black. “Oh fuck. I’m fucked up.”

Velvet laughs, agreeing. Yang shifts to lay her head on Blake’s shoulder, and she accepts the slight show of affection. She looks down, and oh God, that is a perfect view of lacy fabric and Yang's cleavage. For one terrible yet wonderful second, she can’t tear her eyes away. She snaps her head up, blush bright on her cheeks, and Weiss has clearly seen what just happened. A smug smile crosses her face, and Blake begs her with her gaze to stay quiet. Weiss simply shrugs, and the game of cards begins.

It goes well, the group falling into laughter at well-played cards, and Blake is slowly accumulating points. She can see Yang’s cards, but she doesn’t bother to tell her. At one point, Yang is judging, and Blake is off in her own little world, still trying to avoid looking at the cleavage directly in her line of sight. She tunes back in when Yang starts snorting with laughter, burying her face in Blake’s shoulder. Velvet is giggling as well, but she can’t figure out why until she looks at the cards.

“Heteronormativity wins,” Yang gasps, tilting her head so she’s not mumbling into Blake’s shirt.

Flynt grins, picking up the black card. “I don’t even know what that is,” he admits, and Yang breathes in, about to go on a feminist rant, when Weiss shushes her.

“It’s the assumption that straight is the default,” she says, and Flynt nods.

“It sounded like some feminist thing.”

The game lasts until Blake wins, and Yang can tell from the grin on her face that she’s feeling good. Yang herself is calming down, the fuzziness of her head clearing some.  

Coco murmurs something to the very tipsy Velvet in her lap, Velvet whining back. “I’ve got to get this one home,” Coco says, starting to move Velvet, and Ren looks at the time.

“Nora, I should get going too,” he says to her, and she starts her theatrics about how she doesn’t want him to go. “I know,” he sighs, lovingly somehow, pushing her off of him.

Coco gets Velvet off the floor, and Yang shoves herself up to say goodbye. The girls hug, and Blake stands, grabbing a water bottle off of the floor. It could be hers. She’s not sure. Waving to the three making their slow way out the door, she goes to the kitchen, downing the water bottle and throwing it in the recycling as she passes the bin. She pulls at the back door, flipping the lock when it doesn’t open. When she steps out, the air is cool against her skin- the sweltering August heat has turned into a pleasant night. The patio is blissfully quiet, the only sounds from crickets and the slight breeze. It’s peaceful. She pulls out her phone, calling her mom. Her buzz prevents her from considering the time, and Kali picks up with a hint of worry in her voice.  
“Blake? Is everything alright?”

Blake smiles before replying, leaning onto the railing. “Everything is fine. I just wanted to ask- can I spend the night here? I’m having more fun than I thought I would.”  
Kali sighs in relief, and answers with a more positive note. “Sure! You said you’re with Yang, right?”  
“Yeah.”  
“I like that girl.”  
“I know. So I’m good, right?”  
“Yeah, honey. Have fun!”  
“Thanks, Mom. I love you.” Kali responds in kind, and Blake hangs up. She stands outside for a few minutes longer, and turns slightly when the door slides open. It’s Yang, messy curls seeming to soften in the moonlight. Surprisingly, Yang says nothing for a few moments.  
“You having fun?” she finally asks, looking her way with a slight smile.  
“A lot,” Blake says, glancing over.  
“Good,” she replies.

  
  


Blake discovers upon coming in that Neon and Flynt have left as well, and there is plenty of alcohol left. She pours another drink, laughing to herself about how they’re using red plastic cups. Not caring to stand anymore, she puts the cup down and pushes herself onto the counter next to it. Absently kicking her legs, Blake looks around the kitchen. There’s a pencil box with weed in it, which is both intriguing and tempting, but she forgets it when she looks to the fridge. Instead of children’s drawings, there are blueprints of various items, engineering writeups with A+s on them. Most interesting is a photo of Yang boxing. It’s close enough to see the firey but focused expression on her face, yet far enough for Blake to admire the toned muscle up and down her body. As far as she can tell, Yang has perfect form. There are other things on the fridge- certificates and such- but Blake keeps looking back to the photo. _God, she’s hot with her hair up._ She hears footsteps from behind her, and glances over her shoulder to see the hot girl herself.

“Hi,” Blake says, and doesn’t even try to keep the smile off of her face. Yang smiles back, headed for her pencil box. “Do you really need that?” she asks, and Yang shrugs.

“Probably not.” She flicks the lighter anyway, and Blake can hear her breathe the smoke in. It’s hypnotic, watching her chest expand, and oh God she’s looking at her boobs again. Blake raises her gaze to Yang’s face, and watching her exhale makes her feel something she doesn’t really understand. The skunky-sweet smoke doesn’t help either, the smell making her head spin. _I’m drunk,_ she tells herself. _Just drunk. I’m fine._ She suddenly realizes Yang is looking back at her, and she shakes off the stupor.

  


Yang knows she shouldn’t be taking another hit, but she does anyway. Her mind is blissfully fuzzy. Everything is good and nothing really matters. The music is faint but fun, making her want to dance. She closes her eyes as she inhales, but opens them when she breathes out to see Blake’s gaze on her. Blake is beautiful in the artificial light, dark hair a contrast to the white wall behind her, purple eyeshadow complementing the gold of her irises perfectly. She’s obviously in another world, but realizes Yang is looking at her. She takes a sip of her drink as an excuse to look down. Yang simply watches, and the small smirk on Blake’s face when she makes eye contact again is undeniably attractive. She doesn’t even look away as she puts her cup on the counter.

 _I want to kiss her_ is the only thought in Yang’s mind. She sets her pipe and lighter down, and moves close to Blake, standing in front of her. They’re the same height with Blake on the counter, and she blinks those gorgeous golden eyes at her, no questioning in her gaze. She simply accepts their closeness. The music seems even further away to her, hearing only the bass. It feels like they’re in their own little world, in the kitchen like this. _Oh God, I really want to kiss her_. Yang self-consciously reaches for the hair draped across her shoulder, ending at her waist, to play with the strands, and she notices Blake’s gaze drop to her hand, glancing at her chest for a moment.

“Your hair is so pretty, Yang,” she says, and Yang can’t help but smile.

“Thank you,” she whispers, and when Blake looks back up to her face, she takes another step forward, putting her hand just above Blake’s knee. “You’re really pretty too,” she tells her, soft and shy. Her usual bravery has faded, weak in the face of a beautiful girl.

 

 _Please kiss me. Please just do it_. Blake’s head is full of nothing but Yang. Her hand is warm on her thigh, and Blake wants her so much closer. She can’t tear her gaze away from her- golden hair is tousled on her shoulders, but the column of her neck and gentle slopes of her collarbones are laid bare. Blake feels the urge to press kisses down the path so clearly laid out for her, and she knows Yang is watching her, knows she knows that Blake is blatantly checking her out. It doesn’t stop her. Her eyes follow the path her hair takes, sloping over her chest, down to her waist. The lace of Yang’s bralette reaches halfway to her hips, the burgundy contrasted against her pale skin, laying across a strip of her torso. And oh, those hips. They look absolutely perfect for Blake to put her hands on.

Yang’s voice distracts her from the reverie she’s gone into, and when she looks up, the open _want_ on her face must mirror her own.

“Can I kiss you?” she breathes, lilac eyes glancing to her lips.

 _Oh God, finally_. “Do it,” Blake tells her.

Yang does it. She leans in so hurriedly that their lips collide in an almost painful way, yet neither of them care. The kiss has been so long coming that it seems perfect. Her heartbeat is so loud in her ears she thinks Yang might be able to hear it.

She moves her hand from Blake’s thigh to her waist, touching the exposed skin between her crop top and shorts, and Blake sighs at the touch. She wants to put her hands in Yang’s hair, but settles for holding her face, gentle fingers on her jaw. To get closer, Yang eases in between Blake’s legs, taking it slow to make sure it’s okay. She shifts towards her in encouragement, pressing their bodies together and even squeezing Yang’s waist with the softness of her thighs.

Blake’s kissed a girl before, but it occurs to her that kissing Yang is so different and so much _better_. Yang is all curves, coconut perfume making her dizzy; she is so gentle, thumbs stroking the skin of her waist. It feels good. Blake hesitantly opens her mouth, tugging at Yang’s lip with her own. Yang responds well, making a soft sound. She tastes like smoke and alcohol and every sin Blake has ever wanted to commit.

They kiss until they have to take a breath. Yang asks, in the quietest voice, looking through her eyelashes at Blake: “Why haven’t we done this before?”

“Shut up,” Blake mumbles without malice, kissing her again. It’s moments later, but what feels like forever, when Yang’s hands start wandering from Blake’s waist to her lower back. She sighs, trying to press herself closer at the touch to the exposed skin between her top and low shorts.

But things don’t go further, as there’s a loud plastic rattling and a resulting shriek. Blake jolts at the sound, nearly pushing herself off of the counter and toppling them both. Yang accidentally grabs her ass in an attempt to keep her steady, immediately moving her hands and murmuring an apology before turning around. The pyramid of shot glasses has fallen, and a very guilty-faced Nora is standing in the wreckage.  
“Nora, are you serious right now?”

“I’m _sorry_!” She’s clearly embarrassed, in contrast to Yang’s casual annoyance. Nora takes a couple of water bottles and flees.  
Yang rolls her eyes, and turns to Blake with a smile that makes her heart flutter. “Come downstairs with me?” she asks in a whisper, pressing their foreheads together. Blake has to take a deep breath, closing her eyes and fighting off the fear caused by the loud sounds. Yang’s hands are on her thighs, lightly stroking her thumbs across her skin, and it’s comforting. After a minute without a reply, she steps back to give her space. “Is everything okay?”

Blake opens her eyes to catch her hands before they leave her legs. “I’m good,” she says, quiet. “Kiss me.” Yang does so, leaning in and intertwining their fingers. It’s chaste, hesitant, soft, and for one beautiful moment Blake forgets that anyone has ever treated her like anything less than this.

  


They hold hands as they go downstairs, Yang almost tripping and tumbling down, causing them both to laugh. It’s dark on the second level, the only light spilling into the landing, and Yang drops her hand to wrap an arm around Blake’s waist. She guides her through the hallway, so gentle while all Blake wants to do is pin her to the wall and kiss her. When her eyes adjust to the light and she sees the door Yang is heading towards, she does just that. Blake uses  her body weight to shift their direction, pushing Yang to the wall and pressing their lips together, hands on her face. Yang, after a startled sound, relaxes, arms tight around her waist.

Even after all the drinking and smoking and having fun she had already done, Yang hadn’t felt satisfied until then, until kissing Blake. In the dark hallway, making out with her against a wall, delightedly crossfaded, everything is gone from her mind except for the moment she’s living in. She slides her hands down to Blake’s lower back again, waiting for a reaction before, this time intentionally, putting her hands on her ass. She knows it’s okay when Blake presses into her, nipping at her lip.

After a moment, Blake pulls away with a sigh, ducking to kiss her neck. “Show me your room,” she says against her skin, voice low. Yang shivers at the tone. Once Blake is done with pressing kisses to her collarbones, she steps out of the way. Yang takes her hand, opens a door, flicks a light switch, and suddenly, they have a bed and a room all to themselves and it is overwhelming. Blake takes in the room. It’s nice, with matching furniture and the walls a calming color. She can clearly tell which side is Yang’s. It’s covered with posters, and though it’s been neatened, it’s still messy. She turns to smile at her, only to find Yang has been looking at her the whole time. She blushes at the emotion in her eyes- warmth, with a hint of longing. Then Yang turns, and the eye contact is lost.

“I should probably put a shirt on while we’re down here, huh?” There’s laughter in her voice as she moves towards the closet.

For once, Blake speaks before she thinks. “Don’t,” she blurts out, surprising both of them. The amusement in Yang’s tone becomes actual laughter, and she has to put a hand on the wall for support as she laughs so hard her body shakes. Blake’s blush only worsens, and she puts her palms over her face to hide it as well as her embarrassment.

Blake doesn’t see but instead hears Yang come close, yet the way she puts her hands around her wrists is still a surprise. She flinches, and Yang’s touch turns soft, just her fingertips brushing against the thin skin. “Hey,” she breathes. “Look at me.”

It takes a minute for Blake to slide her hands away from her face, and she glances at Yang. She moves her fingertips to Blake’s jaw, tilting her face up, but lets her make the move she wants to make.

 _I never want to do anything but this_ , Yang thinks as their lips meet. She closes her eyes, letting it happen. Each kiss so far had been different, but this one seems to be the best. They go at Blake’s pace, and while it’s slow, it’s _good_. However, Yang’s head is spinning again, and standing is definitely not the best choice. She pulls away, and at the little sound Blake makes, she smiles, kissing her cheek before stepping back.

“I gotta sit down real quick, Blakey,” she says, and Blake, though annoyed at the nickname, snaps into reality, concerned. Yang sits down on her bed, clutching at the edge of the mattress to stabilize herself.

“You okay? Need a trash can?”

“Nope, I‘m not that fucked up,” she says, lying back slowly. “Just... spinny.” Blake sits down next to her, and is once again greeted by a lovely view of Yang’s chest. After a moment, she asks “They’re great, aren’t they?”

“What?” Blake looks to Yang’s face, and is embarrassed when she sees her smirk. “How’d you know I was even looking?”

“Sixth sense,” she says, shrugging. “Come here again.”

Blake shifts her weight down, propping herself on an elbow to be closer to her. They look at each other quietly.

“Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?” Yang asks.

Blake blushes again. “Not for a while,” she whispers.

“Well, you are.” Yang’s so confident in that statement, and Blake’s unused to compliments from anyone other than her parents. After a moment, Yang blinks. “You should kiss me again.”

“Okay,” Blake says, and Yang leans up to meet her. They kiss, and again, Yang is more content than she had been at any other point in the night. Blake is everything Yang is not and it is strangely comforting. She gives when Yang takes, pushes when she pulls, reacts to her actions. Their kisses aren’t exactly perfect, but they definitely feel like it to the two. Yang pulls her closer, receiving a wonderful sigh in reply. Yang’s hands are firm on her hips, Blake using hers to support herself on the bed. Yang’s hands do start to wander, however, first caressing her lower back before finding exactly where those short shorts stop. Blake breaks their kiss to press her mouth to her jawline and neck, leaving faint marks. She stops when Yang starts to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” she asks, and inhales when Yang moves her hands a bit higher.

“You have a great Bella _booty_ ,” she says, before breaking into hysterics. Blake sits up, effectively dislodging her hands. She’s annoyed with the joke, but pleased with the compliment and the sound of Yang’s laughter. Yang subsides into giggles, infectious smile on her face.

“Shut up,” she sighs, and flops down on the bed beside her. Yang scoots to be closer to her, one arm lazily draping over her to settle her hand on her hip.

“It’d be fun to fuck right now,” Yang mumbles, placing her head on Blake’s shoulder.

“Um, no,” Blake tells her, amused. “I’m drunk. You’re drunk.”

Yang lazily finger guns with a snap at her, smirk playing across her face. “And high.”

“You’re proving my point further.” She’s quiet for a moment. “Plus, Yang,” she says, voice soft. “I don’t want you to regret it in the morning.”

Yang scoffs. Her reply is a little startling in its blunt honesty. “As if anything about you could be a mistake.”

Blake doesn’t know how to respond, so instead she puts her hand over Yang’s, squeezing gently.

  
  
  


“I _swear_ , if they are doing _things_ down there-”

“Don’t be salty because you’re not getting any, Weiss,” and when Weiss shrieks at the statement, Nora giggles.

“We should probably clean up,” Pyrrha mumbles, letting herself fall onto the couch. Weiss and Nora glance around, taking stock of the red cups, water bottles, pizza boxes, and the miscellaneous messes.

Weiss simply sighs, but Nora’s eyes light up. “You know the best way to make sure they’re not doing anything?”

“What?”

“Stop them!” Nora skips down the stairs, Weiss following more sedately. Pyrrha gives a thumbs up to no one, face still in a pillow. Downstairs is quiet, and the two tiptoe to Yang’s room. Nora waits for only a second before bursting in with a shriek.

It’s a surprise to her and Weiss when Blake and Yang are, in fact, not doing _things_. They’re cuddling peacefully. However, when they sit up, the mussed hair and marks on their skin indicate past actions.

“I _knew_ it,” Weiss says, turning around and leaving. She grabs Nora’s arm on the way out. “Come help us clean up when you’re ready.” Nora laughs as she’s dragged out, looking at Blake and Yang knowingly. The door shuts behind them, and Yang turns to Blake.

“Wanna go help or stay down here?” Blake ponders the decision, zoning out for a moment. Be responsible or stay and possibly kiss some more? She stares at the wall, seriously conflicted. “Earth to Blake,” Yang murmurs, leaning over to kiss her collarbone.

The sensation of soft lips against delicate skin makes Blake full-body shiver. She tips her head to the opposite side, exposing more skin. Yang hums in appreciation, moving closer. She brushes silky black waves out of her way, to the other shoulder, letting her thumb drag over the nape of Blake’s neck as she does it.

“ _Yang_ ,” Blake whines, another shiver rippling down her spine at the contact. Yang touches her lips to a pulse point. “I-” She stops short as Yang scrapes her teeth against her skin, silenced.

“Cat got your tongue?” The question is soft but still playful, teasing. That’s when Blake knows that they have to stop, because she’s losing all sense of self control.

“Yang,” Blake repeats, and begins to stop leaning into her warmth, gently tugging herself away. “We should stop.”

Guilt floods Yang’s chest at the three words. “Oh, God, I’m sorry-” she says, scooting over.  It surprises her when Blake comes close and puts her hand on her cheek, enough to quiet the apologies about to fall out of her mouth.

“Don’t be,” she whispers, leaning in for one last kiss. When they part, Blake smiles. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Yang sighs, letting her head rest on Blake’s hand. “Besides. I want to remember whatever we do together.” The implication brings a smirk to Yang’s lips, and it kills Blake to get off the bed and go to the door. It kills Yang to watch her hips move and not have her hands on them. She follows, and as Blake leaves the room, they reach for each other’s hands.

 

* * *

 

Many months and relationship developments later, Blake and Yang sit together in Blake’s room, up against the headboard, Yang’s head on Blake’s shoulder. They’ve shared stories of their childhoods before, and Blake knows about Yang’s hardships. She’s been quiet tonight, and Blake finally brings it up.

“What are you thinking about?” Blake’s absently rubbing Yang’s shoulder, running her hand along its curve.

“My mom,” she says, and Blake nods.

“Yeah?” She prompts her with no expectation, just curiosity. She’s only a little surprised when Yang actually opens up.

“Summer died in late fall,” Yang whispers. “Fitting, huh?” Blake moves her hand to stroke her hair, listening. “It’s been so long but I still miss her,” she says, voice bordering on hoarse. “And my dad told me about Raven, and it was like I lost two moms. And then I had to be mom to Ruby and I was so little, and I just- it’s not _fair_ ,” and Blake holds her closer when her voice breaks.

“I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “Though I know it doesn't mean much.”

Yang sighs. “I appreciate it.”

They’re quiet for a moment, and Blake has a thought. “Yang?”

“Yeah?”

“Is that why you got so fucked up at the party?” She doesn’t have to specify; they both know what she means.

The laughter in her voice as she says “You’ve got me there” is painful.

“Hon…”

“I know, okay? Bad coping skills. Learned it from my family.” The bitterness in her tone hurts even more.

She's silent for a moment. “I care about you,” she manages to tell her. Yang squeezes her waist. “I.. I want you to be happy.”

“ _You_ make me happy.” Yang's voice is quiet but firm. “And I care about you too.”

Blake moves to look at her, and Yang sits up. In the glow of her bedside lamp, Yang’s face and few curls out of her ponytail are beautiful and golden. Blake reaches to touch one of those curls, gently picking it up and twisting it around her finger. When she looks back up, Yang’s eyes are still on her. “I really want to kiss you,” Blake says, and Yang smiles.

“So do it.”

She does.


End file.
